Pakistan Army chief calls for turning country into 'hard state' in fight against terrorism

Gen. Munir emphasizes the need for Pakistan to become a "hard state" in the battle against militancy.

Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir on Tuesday (March 18, 2025) emphasised the need to turn Pakistan into a "hard state," asserting that the struggle against militancy was "a battle" for the country's "survival".

Gen. Munir made the remarks at a high-level meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security convened days after Baloch militants hijacked a passenger train, resulting in the deaths of 25 passengers.

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National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq chaired the in-camera meeting, which he convened on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the country's security situation.

At the meeting, the country's top civil and military leadership stressed a unified political commitment to combat militancy and terrorism with full force.

In his address to the committee, Gen. Munir said the struggle against militancy was “a battle for our survival and that of our future generations”.

He called for better governance and making Pakistan a “hard state” and asked, “How long will we continue to sacrifice countless lives in the style of a soft state?” “For sustainable development, all elements of national power will have to work in harmony,” Gen. Munir said.